


2.7 Kelvin

by plinys



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:12:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5301656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plinys/pseuds/plinys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Falcon experiences "technically difficulties" Leia must confront her own feelings about returning to Coruscant. Thankfully Han is there to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	2.7 Kelvin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ultron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultron/gifts).



> For a fic swap with the wonderful Nat, my word was "warmth".

Space is cold.

It seems as though it should be obvious.

The endless black expanse that is so familiar to her, yet brings a chill down her spine each time she looks out into the blackness and searches for the pinpricks of light. This far away from any planet, anywhere to land, she doesn’t even have the faintest hint of the force presence of hundreds of other living things to keep her warm.

The glass of the viewport that her fingers rest against reflects that chill.

There was only one other time that space seemed this slow to her, moving through it not at the speed she was accustomed too, but a slow crawl that could take days – had taken _months_ – and had led her to a place she hadn’t felt safe in.

Leia couldn’t help but feel a similar sense of foreboding now, as the Falcon inched forward at a fraction of its usual speed. As if they would never reach their destination, and even if they did, that she would not like what she found there.

Perhaps though that was more to do with her own concerns over returning to Coruscant after all this time, than any real hint of bad things to come.

“Don’t worry, princess,” comes a voice reminding her that she’s not nearly as alone as she feels at the moment.

She turns away from the viewport, to focus on Han. He’s got grease smudged across the bridge of his nose, it takes her considerable effort not to step forward and wipe it off of his face.

“Just a minor malfunction. I’ll have her up and running again in no time.”

“You better,” she replies. Though the teasing tone is not entirely there.

He must sense as much, for a moment later he’s stepping forward and tugging her towards him for a hug that she knows if more for her benefit than his. Leia leans into it instinctively, her head tucked just underneath his chin, as he rubbed comforting circles into her back. He radiates a warmth, that constants the cool and desolate expanse of space behind her. Han’s comforting in that way.

It takes her a moment to realize that he’s talking once more. Explaining what happened to _his ship_ to her in terms that Leia understand only abstractly. “I’ve got the hyperdrive trying to reboot itself – which if things go according to plan – and for me they usually do, means we should be back on our way in no more than an hour.”

“If everything goes according to plan.”

“It will,” Han insists. “Though you know, until then, we’ve got time to spare. I can think of a few ways to make the time go fast, if you’re interested in helping me out.”

His innuendo is not subtle at all. Normally she would chide him for such crude behavior, but this time it’s just the two of them, and she cannot help but laugh lightly against his chest. She had needed that. Though she was loathe to admit it.

“I will be happy to _help you out_ once we’re planet side,” Leia replies. Leaning back away from him slightly, so that she can look up and meet his eyes, with a hint of coyness.

Reflected back in his expression is a look of want and of something almost akin to reverence at the same time. The sight of him looking so nearly stops the words from coming to her lips.

Yet, she pushes on. “However, for the time being, I had something else in mind?”

“And what can I do for you, Your Excellency?” His tone is only slightly mocking. She’s gotten used to the _pet names_ by now, and even though she wishes he would pick ones more appropriate, a small part of her doesn’t mind too much.

“Well, I was thinking we could retire to our bunk. Not for that,” she makes clear, the second she sees that smirk starting to form on his lips. “I’m just tired, it’s been…” _A long day_ , doesn’t seem like the right words, because really other than their hyper drive acting up today had been rather slow, no more like a long year or a long couple of years.

Heading back to Coruscant brought that all up again, for the last time she’d been there, they’d been living under the empire. Her planet had been thriving, her family still alive, and her position in the senate had been the only thing to keep her grounded somedays.

Now she had so much more, knew so much more. That it felt like lifetimes since she had been there.

Of course, there was no easy way to put that feeling into words.

Instead what comes out is simply, “I’m tired,” the understatement of the century.

But Han understands. Somehow he’s always understood her – not like Luke, it’s different with Han – he reads between the lines, even when she’s not exactly sure what she’s hiding between them.

“You know, princess, I could use a nap,” Han says, “And who knows if the temperature systems fail we might have to huddle for warmth – or fine another way to keep warm.”

“Yes, well hopefully this bucket of bolts can hold up a bit longer than that.”

“Hey!”

She kisses any hint of indignation off of his lips. And even Han’s fits of playful protest can’t stand in the way of that. His hands come down to rest softly against her waist once more. Steadily holding her in place, as she tilts her head up to meet his lips.

Suddenly it doesn’t feel so cold anymore.

The blankness of space is nothing to worry about, not with Han beside her. Together, they can face whatever is waiting for them at the end of this journey. She knows that now.

When Leia pulls back from the kiss, it is with the smallest hint of a smile. A smile that Han returns.

“Now, Captain, why don’t you show me to our bunk?”

“It would be my pleasure, princess.”

 

 

 


End file.
